Serial printing device having plural type heads mounted on movable carriage



Dec. 5, 1967 A. MICHELOTTI 3,356,198

SERIAL PRINTING DEVICE HAVING PLURAL TYPE HEADS MOUNTED ON MOVABLE CARRIAGE Filed May 19, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet l Fig.1

INVENTOR. ALDO MICHELOTTI 1386- 1967 A. MICHELOTTI SERIAL PRINTING DEVICE HAVING PLURAL TYPE HEADS MOUNTED ON MOVABLE CARRIAGE Filed May 19, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. ALDO MICHELOTTI United States Patent 3,356,198 SERIAL PRINTING DEVICE HAVING PLURAL lwlg HEADS MOUNTED 0N MOVABLE CAR- A E Aldo Michelotti, Torino, Italy, assignor to lug. C. Olivetti 8: C., S.p.A., Ivrea, Italy, a corporation of Italy Filed May 19, 1966, Ser. No. 551,329 Claims priority, application Italy, May 24, 1965, 11,835/ 65 6 Claims. (Cl. 197-48) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A serial printing device for teleprinters comprises a transversely movable carriage mounting a group of simultaneously rotatable type drums carried by a group of parallel shafts secured to a rotatable common support. The type to be printed is selected by a number of code bars mounted on the machine and associated with a number of clutches having each one a driven gear and a driving gear mounted on said carriage, said driven gears being connected to said support and said type drums by means of rods formed of a set of superimposed leaf springs.

The present invention relates to a serial printing device for teleprinters or similar printing machines, comprising a transversely movable carriage mounting a type carrier provided with a plurality of selectable types, said type carrier being variably positionable from the position corresponding to the last printed type to the position corresponding to the type to be printed, and comprising a number of code bars mounted on the machine frame and each one adapted to be located in a pair of locations.

In the known printing devices of the above type, the type to be printed is selected by the code bars through linkages, pulleys and similar translating means mounted on the machine frame. The movement of said translating means is then translated to the type carrier by universal bars, whereby the printing device is generally intricate and expensive.

This and other disadvantages are obviated by a serial printing device according to the invention, which is characterized by a number of clutches associated with said code bars and having each one a driven gear cooperating with driving gears, said driven gears and said driving gears being mounted on said carriage, translating means being provided for connecting each one of said driven gears with said type carrier to position same according to the location of said code bars.

This and other characteristics of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a left hand rear perspective view of a serial printing device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a left hand partial longitudinal sectional view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a detail of the device of FIG. 1.

With reference to the FIG. 2, the numeral 5 generically indicates a carriage transversely movable with respect to the machine frame and mounting a conventional transversely stationary printing platen 6. The carriage 5 is provided with a pair of forward rollers 7 cooperating with a stationary bar 8 and with a pair of rear rollers 9 cooperating with another stationary bar 11. The carriage 5 comprises a pair of flanks 12 having a pair of holes crossed by a fluted shaft 13 continuously rotated by an electric motor not shown on the drawing. Located between the flanks 12 is a sleeve 14 bodily rotatable with, but axially slidable on the shaft 13. The sleeve 14 carries a pair of worm wheels 16 and 17 (FIG. 3) engaging a pair of similar Worm wheels 18 and 19 secured to a pair of vertical shafts 21 and 22 rotatably mounted on the carriage 5 (FIG. 1).

Mounted on the carriage 5 is also a group of four type carriers or drums 23 having two. rows of types, each one provided with eight types. The drums 23 are rotatable on four vertical shafts 24 carried by a support generically indicated by the numeral 26, comprising two horizontal plates 28 and 29 connected by the shaft 24. The plate 28 is rotatably mounted on a pin 31 of a frame 32, while the plate 29 is secured to a sleeve 33 rotatable on a vertical shaft 34 in turn rotatable on the frame 32. The sleeve 33 is secured to a first pinion 36 engaging a first rack 37 slidable on a prismatic guide 38 of the frame 32. A pinion 39 is secured to the shaft 34 and engages four pinions 41 each one secured to a type drum 23. Furthermore secured to the shaft 34 is a second pinion 42 engaging a second rack 43 slidable on another prismatic guide 44 of the frame 32.

Connected to a pair of projections 45 of the frame 32 is a forked lever 46 (FIG. 2) fulcrumed on a pivot 47 carried by a lever48. This latter is fulcrumed on a pivot 49 of the carriage 5 and cooperates with a pair of complementary earns 51 secured to a shaft 52 rotatably mounted on the flanks 12 of the carriage 5. The frame 32 is also provided with a second pair of projections 53 each one linked by means of a pivot 54 with a corresponding lever 56 pivoted at 57 on the carriage 5. Furthermore, each pivot 54 is connected through a corresponding link 58 to a crank lever 59 (FIG. 1) secured to another shaft 61 rotatablymounted on the flanks 12 of the carriage 5.

An end of the rack 37 is provided with a hollow 60 engaged by a spherical end 63 of a lever 62, which is guided in a diametral notch 64 of a sleeve 65. This latter is rotatably mounted on a pivot 66 secured to a projection 67 of the corresponding flank 12 of the carriage 5. The lever 62 is provided with two spherical projections 68 adapted to axially guide the lever 62 into the sleeve 65. A pair of links 72 and 73, are provided for linking a pair of pins 69 and 71 of the lever 62 with 2. corresponding pair of translating means each one formed of a crank lever 74, and 76 respectively, secured to a vertical shaft 77, 78 rotatable on the carriage 5. i

The lever 74 when rotated 180 degrees, through the link 72, the lever62, the rack 37, and the pinion 36, causes the sleeve 33 to rotate counterclockwise 90 degrees. The lever 76 when rotated 180 degrees causes the sleeve 33 to rotate clockwise 180 degrees. By simultaneously rotating the two levers 74 and 76, the sleeve 33 is rotated clockwise 90 degrees. Therefore, each one of the four type drums L link 88, thelever 81, the rack 43, and the pinion,42,:

23 may be selected to be brought in front of the platen 6.

Similarly, an end of the rack 43 is provided with a ho]- low 80 engaged by a spherical end 79 of a lever 81 substantially symmetrical to the lever 62 with respect to the support 26 of the type drums 23. The lever 81 is guided by a notched sleeve 82 similar to the sleeve 65 and rotatably mounted on a pivot 83 of the corresponding flank 12 of the carriage 5. A pair of links 87 and 88 are provided for linking a pair of pins 84 and 86 of the lever 81 with a pair of translating means or crank levers 89 and 91. The lever 89 is secured to a vertical shaft 92 rotatably mounted on the carriage 5, and when rotated degrees, through the link 87, the lever 81, the rack 43 and the pinion 42, it causes the shaft 34 to rotate four steps or 180 degrees counterclockwise.

On the contray the lever 91 is rotatably mounted on an eccentric 93 secured to a vertical shaft 94 in turn rotatable on the carriage 5. The shaft 94, when rotated 180 degrees, through the eccentric 93, the lever 91, the

causes the shaft 34 to rotate one step or 45 degrees clockwise. The lever 91 is also provided with a pin 96 engaging a notch 97 of a second crank lever 98 secured to a sleeve 99 rotatably mounted on the shaft 94. The lever 98 when rotated 180 degrees rotates also the lever 91 which then causes the shaft 34 to be rotated two steps or 90 degrees clockwise. By selectively simultaneously rotating the levers 89, 91 and the eccentric 93, the shaft 34 and therefore also the type drums 23 may be rotated a predetermined number of steps to bring in front of the platen 6 one of the eight types of each type row.

Each one of the links 72, 73, 87 and 88 is formed of a set of leaf springs adapted to be yieldably flexed and twisted to enable the frame 32 to be moved irrespective from the carriage and without damaging the joints on the pins 69, 71, 84 and 86. These latter are secured to a bent portion 100 of the corresponding levers 62 and 81 in order to have the links 72, 73, 87, 88 at the same level of the levers 62 and 81.

The printing device comprises also a number of six code bars 101, 102, 103, 104, 105 and 106 (FIG. 3) having straight edges and rockably mounted by means of pivots 108 on the machine frame. Each code bar 101-106 is adapted to be tilted to assume one of a pair of different locations in a manner known per se.

Associated with the code bars 101 to 106 is a number of six similar clutches 111, 112, 113, 114, 115 and 116 of the type described in the United States application, Ser. No. 341,342 dated Jan. 30, 1964. Particularly the clutch 111 (FIG. 1) comprises a driven member 117 having a mutilated gear 118 and two diametrically opposite projections 119 and 120, and a driving member 121 secured to the sleeve 14 and having a driving gear 122 and a pair of diametrically opposite starting elements or teeth 123. The driven member 117 is bodily rotatable with, but axially slidable on the shaft 61 between two different axial positions to bring one of its projections 119 and 120 into the plane of a tooth 123 of the driving member 121. Therefore the clutch 111 is engaged by displacing the driven member 117 from one to the other of two axial positions and becomes automatically disengaged after being rotated 180 degrees. Connected to the driven member 117 is a lever 124 fulcrumed on a pivot 125 of a projection 130 of the carriage 5, and is provided with a notched lug 126 engaging the code bar 101.

The clutches 112 and 113 (FIG. 3) comprise each one a driven member 117 identical to that of the clutch 111. These driven members 117 are slidably mounted on the shaft 77, and 78 respectively, but they are angularly rotatable therewith. Furthermore they are axially connected with a corresponding slide 127, respectively 128, carried by the carriage 5. The lower end of the slide 127, 128 is provided with a notch engaging the corresponding code bar 102, 103. The two clutches 112 and 113 have a common driving member 121, which is secured to the shaft 21 and is identical to the driving member of the clutch 111.

Similarly, slidably mounted on the shafts 92 and 94, but bodily rotatable therewith are the driven members 117 of the clutches 114 and 115, which are connected to the corresponding code bars 104 and 105 by means of a slide 129, 130. The clutches 114 and 116 have a common driving part 121 secured to the shaft 22. Finally, slidably mounted on the sleeve 99, but bodily rotatable therewith, is another driving member 117 for the clutch 115 having an own driving member 132 in turn secured to the shaft 22.

Finally the printing device comprises a further bar 133 (FIG. 1), which may be rocked counterclockwise each time a type to be printed is selected and will hereinafter be called universal bar. The universal bar 133 is engaged by a notched lug of a lever 134 fulcrumed on a pivot 135 secured to a projection 140 of the carriage 5, and adapted to control a further clutch 136. Particularly, the lever 134 is connected with a driven member 137 of the clutch 136, adapted to cooperate with the driving member 121 of the clutch 111. The driven member 137 differs from the driven members 117 of the clutches 111-116 because it is provided with two projections 138 and 139 located on the same plane instead of being axially distanced, whereby the clutch 136 is engaged when the driven member 137 is displaced leftwards and is disengaged when the driven member 137 is returned rightwards.

The teeth 123 of the driving members 121 and 132 are located in such an angular position as to simultaneously engage the projections 119 and of the various driven members 117 of the clutches 111-116. On the contrary, the projection 138 of the driven member 137 is engaged by the tooth 123 of its driving member 121 with a delay of 120 degrees with respect to the cycle of the clutches 111-116.

The serial printing device operates as follows.

Normally the fluted shaft 13 is continuously rotated clockwise by the electric motor, while the universal bar 133 is in the position of FIG. 1, whereby the clutch 136 is disengaged. On the contrary, each code bar 101-106 (FIGS. 1 and 3) may lie on each one of its locations.

When a type of a drum 23 is to be selected for effecting an imprint, the code bars 101-106 are selectively displaced in a known manner from the locations corresponding to the last printed type to the locations corresponding to the type to be printed, while the universal bar 133 is rocked clockwise. Subsequently the teeth 123 of the driving members 121, 132 of the clutches 111-116, the driven members 117 of which has been displaced by the corresponding code bars 101-106, simultaneously engage the projections 119 or 120 of the corresponding driven members 117. These latter begin their rotation, which is then automatically completed by the driving gears 122 of the driven members 121, 132, through the mutilated gears 118 of the driven members 117.

The shafts 61, 77, 78, 92 and 94, and the sleeve 99 are thus rotated degrees together with the corresponding driven members 117. The shaft 61 (FIG. 2) when rotated by the clutch 111, through the lever 59 and the links 58, displaces the support 32 vertically, the levers 56 and 46 connecting the frame 32 being rocked around the pivots 57, and 47 respectively, whereby the row of the type to be printed is selected. The links 72, 73, 87 and 88 (FIG. 1), being formed of leaf springs, enable the frame 32 to be displaced with respect to the carriage 5. The shafts 77, 78 when selectively rotated, through the levers 74 and 76, the links 72 and 73 and the lever 62, selectively displaces the rack 37. This latter through the pinion 36 rotates the sleeve 33 together with the plates 28 and 29 so as to bring in front of the plate 6 the selected type drum 23. The shafts 92 and 94 and the sleeve 99 through the levers 89, 91, the links 87 and 88 and the lever 81, selectively displace the rack 43, thus rotating the pinion 42 together with the shaft 34. Then the pinion 39 simutaneously rotates the four type drums 23 to cause the selected drum to bring the type to be printed in front of the platen 6.

The above described three movements of the drums 23 are effected simultaneously upon rotating the shaft 13 180 degrees. After 120 degrees of said rotation, the tooth 123 of the driving member 121 of the clutch 136 engages the driven member 137 thereof and starts the rotation of the shaft 52. This latter is now rotated 180 degrees together with the complementary cams 51. The lever 48 is thus rocked counterclockwise and through the lever 46 rocks the frame 32 clockwise around the pivots 56. Then, when the shaft 52 has been rotated 60 degrees, that is when the clutches 111-116 have been rotated 180 degrees, the selected type strikes the plate 6 thus effecting an imprint.

Upon starting the rotation of the clutches 111-116, the code bars 101-106 can be predisposed for selecting the next type to be printed, whereby the cycles of the clutches 111-116 and 136 are effected synchronously and continuously with a frequence of two cycles for each revolution of the shaft 13.

Obviously at each cycle the carriage 5 is displaced leftwards step by step in a manner known per se. At the end of the line the carriage 5 is returned rightwards, while the platen 6 is line spaced in a known manner.

It is intended that many changes, improvements and additions of parts may be made to the described printing device without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. In a serial printing device for teleprinters or similar printing machines, having a machine frame, a carriage transversely movable on said frame, a type carrier provided with a plurality of selectable types and mounted on said carriage, said type carrier being variably positionable from the position corresponding to the last printed type to the position corresponding to the type to be printed, the combination comprising:

(a) a number of code bars mounted on said frame and each one adapted to be located in a pair of locations,

(b) a number of clutches equal to said number of code bars, each said clutch being selectively actuated in response to the location of a specific one of said code bars, each said clutch having a driven gear,

(c) driving gears for said driven gears,

(d) means for mounting said driving gears and said driven gears on said carriage as to be transversely moved therewith, and

(e) translating means connecting each one of said driven gears with said type carrier for positioning said type carrier according to the location of said code bars.

2. In a serial printing device for teleprinters or similar printing machines, having a machine frame, a carriage transversely movable on said frame, a type carrier provided with a plurality of selectable types and mounted on said carriage, said type carrier being variably positionable from the position corresponding to the last printed type to the position corresponding to the type to be printed, the combination comprising:

(a) a number of code bars mounted on said frame and each one adapted to be located in a pair of locations,

(b) a number of clutches equal to said number of code bars, each said clutch being selectively actuated in response to the location of a specific one of said code bars, each said clutch having a mutilated driven gear,

(c) driving gears having an element conditionable by said code bars for synchronously operating the associated driven gear, the elements of the various driving gears being adapted to simultaneously operate said driven gears,

(d) means for mounting said driving gears and said driven gears on said carriage,

(e) and translating means connecting each one of said driven gears With said type carrier for positioning said type carrier according to the location of said code bars.

3. In a serial printing device according to claim 2,

(f) a further clutch comprising a further multilated driven gear mounted on said carriage,

(g) and means connected to said further driven gear for causing the type carrier so positioned to effect an imprint.

4. In a serial printing device for teleprinters or similar printing machines, having a machine frame, a carriage transversely movable on said frame, a group of selectable type drums each one provided with a plurality of types, said type drums being variably positionable from the position corresponding to the last printed type to the position corresponding to the type to be printed, the combination comprising:

(a) a support mounted on said carriage and selectively rotatable for selecting said type drums,

(b) a group of parallel shafts carried by said support for rotatably mounting said type drums,

(c) a number of code bars mounted on said frame and each one adapted to be located in a pair of locations,

((1) a number of clutches equal to said number of code bars, each said clutch being selectively actuated in response to the location of a specific one of said code bars, each said clutch having a driven gear,

(e) driving gears for said driven gears,

(f) means for mounting said driving gears and said driven gears on said carriage,

(g) a first rack engaging a first pinion secured to said support for rotating said support,

(h) a second rack engaging a second pinion for simultaneously rotating said type drums,

(i) and translating means connected to said driven gears for selectively moving said first and said second rack.

5. In a serial printing device according to claim 4:

(i) a further clutch comprising a further mutilated driven gear mounted on said carriage,

(j) means connected to said further driven gear for displacing said support with respect to said carriage,

(k) and linkages connecting said translating means to said first and second rack and adapted to enable said support to be so displaced irrespective from said driven gears.

6. In a serial printing device according to claim 5,

(l) a set of superimposed leaf springs comprised in each of said linkages and adapted to be yieldably flexed and twisted to enable said support to be so displaced.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 622,472 4/ 1899 H-oofnagle 197-51 852,905 5/1907 Richards 197-18 1,127,487 2/1915 Mohr 197-48 X 2,945,576 7/1960 Lapointe et al, 197-18 X 3,176,069 3/1965 Zenner 197-49 X 3,201,514 8/ 1965 Kleinschmidt 197-48 X 3,272,302 9/1966 Segawa et al 197-50 3,276,560 10/1966 Wirtz 197-49 X ROBERT E. PULFREY, Primary Examiner.

E. S. BURR, Examiner. 

1. IN A SERIAL PRINTING DEVICE FOR TELEPRINTERS OR SIMILAR PRINTING MACHINES, HAVING A MACHINE FRAME, A CARRIAGE TRANSVERSELY MOVABLE ON SAID FRAME, A TYPE CARRIER PROVIDED WITH A PLURALITY OF SELECTABLE TYPES AND MOUNTED ON SAID CARRIAGE, SAID TYPE CARRIER BEING VARIABLY POSITIONABLE FROM THE POSITION CORRESPONDING TO THE LAST PRINTED TYPE TO THE POSITION CORRESPONDING TO THE TYPE TO BE PRINTED, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: (A) A NUMBER OF CODE BARS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AND EACH ONE ADAPTED TO BE LOCATED IN A PAIR OF LOCATIONS, (B) A NUMBER OF CLUTCHES EQUAL TO SAID NUMBER OF CODE BARS, EACH SAID CLUTCH BEING SELECTIVELY ACTUATED 